Money, Money, Money

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Brian Moran returned $8,500 in contributions from Citigroup and Virginia Commerce Bank -- companies that received taxpayer-funded bailout money, according to campaign filings made public last night.

Moran returned the money on the same day that rival Terry McAuliffe first pledged not to take corporate contributions from companies receiving bailout money.

The campaign finance reports also show that McAuliffe spent $31,600 on supporter lists and office furniture from Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and $10,700 on office equipment from U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner's campaign.

McAuliffe received his largest contributions from some of the nation's top Democratic donors who hosted fundraisers for him in their home states. They include J.B. Pritzker, a billionaire whose family founded the Hyatt hotel chain ($100,000), Jim Pederson, a businessman who chaired the Arizona Democratic Party ($50,000), and major Rhode Island Democratic donor Mark Weiner ($25,000). He also received money from Gray Davis, former governor of California ($1,000) and David Baldacci, the best-selling author who lives in Virginia ($5,000).

Moran and the third Democratic candidate, R. Creigh Deeds, each received money from Boyd Tinsley, a member of the Dave Matthews Band, who lives in Virginia. (He gave $10,000 to Deeds and $5,000 to Moran.) Deeds also transferred $81,000 from his state Senate account.